Chapter 6

Elle

The moment I stepped through the front door of our house, I knew I was in trouble.

The heavy oak door groaned shut behind me, sealing me in with the kind of silence that only meant one thing—my parents were still awake. The warm glow of the chandelier above cast long shadows across the polished marble floor, but it did nothing to ease the tension simmering in the air. My heels clicked softly as I moved forward, but I froze when I saw them emerge from the living room.

My father stood tall, arms crossed, still in his navy silk pajamas. Even without a word, he had a presence that filled the entire foyer. My mother was beside him, calm but sharp, her silk robe tied neatly around her waist, her hair still pinned perfectly. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes flicked over me like a silent inspection.

“Where have you been?” my father asked. His voice was low, controlled—but that edge beneath it made my stomach twist.

I took a breath, trying not to sound defensive. “At a party.”

“A party?” My mother’s voice was smoother, but colder somehow. Her perfectly arched brow rose like it was personally offended.

“Yes,” I said, setting my clutch down on the entry table. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” My father’s voice rose, just enough to make the chandelier tremble. “Elle, it’s nearly two in the morning.”

“I know. I didn’t mean to be out this late. I lost track of time. I’m sorry.”

My mother stepped forward then, arms crossed now too. “You know what we’ve said about those parties. The kind of people who go to them—”

“—Aren’t like us, I know.” I cut in before I could stop myself. “But I wasn’t drinking or doing anything stupid. I just went with Jasmine. We were hanging out. That’s it.”

“Jasmine?” my father repeated. “And where is she now?”

“She’s home. She texted me earlier. She’s fine.”

That part, at least, was true. We’d talked not long after I got back—her voice frantic and high-pitched, both of us relieved to know the other had made it home in one piece after everything that happened.

My mother tilted her head. “Then how did you get home, Elle?”

I hesitated. “My car broke down,” I admitted. “I got a ride.”

My father’s eyes narrowed. “From who?”

“Luke,” I said carefully. “Luke O’Connor.”

They exchanged a look—quick, but telling.

“Luke O’Connor,” my mother said, tasting the name like it was bitter. “You got in a car with a boy we don’t even know?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” I said, frustrated now. “My phone was dead, and it was late. He offered. He wasn’t some random guy off the street. Jasmine knows him. He’s friends with Dylan.”

“Which doesn’t exactly reassure us,” my father muttered.

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again. It wasn’t worth it—not tonight.

“We’ll talk more about this tomorrow,” he said finally, stepping aside to let me pass.

“Fine,” I mumbled, brushing past them and heading up the stairs.

Each step echoed like a gavel slamming down—judgment passed. I could feel their eyes on my back the whole way up. I didn’t turn around.

When I got to my room, I shut the door quietly behind me and sagged against it for a moment, exhaling the breath I’d been holding since I walked in.

The room was just as I’d left it—immaculate, orderly. Too perfect. I kicked off my heels and let them fall wherever they wanted. My bed, with its pristine white sheets and velvet throw pillows, looked more inviting than it ever had. I collapsed onto it, sinking into the softness.

But I couldn’t relax.

Luke O’Connor.

That name was still spinning in my head, looping through everything that had happened tonight—the way he’d looked at me, the calm in his voice even when everything around us was chaos. He hadn’t just been kind; he’d been… steady. Like he wasn’t fazed by any of it. Like he’d seen girls like me before—and somehow still looked twice.

I pulled on my pajamas and slid beneath the covers. My phone buzzed on the nightstand with another message from Jasmine—glad you’re okay, love you—and I smiled faintly as I typed back a quick reply.

But even after I turned out the lights, Luke’s face lingered behind my eyes.

Would I see him again?

Something in me whispered that I would…